22 For what hath H1933 man H120 of all his labour, H5999 and of the vexation H7475 of his heart, H3820 wherein H1931 he hath laboured H6001 under the sun? H8121
What profit H3504 hath a man H120 of all his labour H5999 which he taketh H5998 under the sun? H8121
What profit H3504 hath he that worketh H6213 in that wherein H834 he laboureth? H6001
Take G3309 therefore G3767 no G3361 thought G3309 for G1519 the morrow: G839 for G1063 the morrow G839 shall take thought G3309 for the things G3588 of itself. G1438 Sufficient G713 unto the day G2250 is the evil G2549 thereof. G846
Therefore G1223 G5124 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 Take no G3361 thought G3309 for your G5216 life, G5590 what G5101 ye shall eat, G5315 or G2532 what G5101 ye shall drink; G4095 nor yet for G3366 your G5216 body, G4983 what G5101 ye shall put on. G1746 Is G2076 not G3780 the life G5590 more than G4119 meat, G5160 and G2532 the body G4983 than raiment? G1742
And G1161 having G2192 food G1305 and G2532 raiment G4629 let us be G714 therewith G5125 content. G714
And G2532 seek G2212 not G3361 ye G5210 what G5101 ye shall eat, G5315 or G2228 what G5101 ye shall drink, G4095 G2532 neither G3361 be ye of doubtful mind. G3349
For G1063 what G5101 is a man G444 profited, G5623 if G1437 he shall gain G2770 the whole G3650 world, G2889 and G1161 lose G2210 his own G846 soul? G5590 or G2228 what G5101 shall a man G444 give G1325 in exchange G465 for his G846 soul? G5590
Then I commended H7623 mirth, H8057 because a man H120 hath no better thing H2896 under the sun, H8121 than to eat, H398 and to drink, H8354 and to be merry: H8055 for that shall abide H3867 with him of his labour H5999 the days H3117 of his life, H2416 which God H430 giveth H5414 him under the sun. H8121
He that loveth H157 silver H3701 shall not be satisfied H7646 with silver; H3701 nor he that loveth H157 abundance H1995 with increase: H8393 this is also vanity. H1892 When goods H2896 increase, H7235 they are increased H7231 that eat H398 them: and what good H3788 is there to the owners H1167 thereof, saving H518 the beholding H7207 H7212 of them with their eyes? H5869
There is H3426 one H259 alone, and there is not a second; H8145 yea, he hath neither child H1121 nor brother: H251 yet is there no end H7093 of all his labour; H5999 neither is his eye H5869 satisfied H7646 with riches; H6239 neither saith he, For whom do I labour, H6001 and bereave H2637 my soul H5315 of good? H2896 This is also vanity, H1892 yea, it is a sore H7451 travail. H6045
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 2
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
Solomon having pronounced all vanity, and particularly knowledge and learning, which he was so far from giving himself joy of that he found the increase of it did but increase his sorrow, in this chapter he goes on to show what reason he has to be tired of this world, and with what little reason most men are fond of it.
Ecc 2:1-11
Solomon here, in pursuit of the summum bonum-the felicity of man, adjourns out of his study, his library, his elaboratory, his council-chamber, where he had in vain sought for it, into the park and the playhouse, his garden and his summer-house; he exchanges the company of the philosophers and grave senators for that of the wits and gallants, and the beaux-esprits, of his court, to try if he could find true satisfaction and happiness among them. Here he takes a great step downward, from the noble pleasures of the intellect to the brutal ones of sense; yet, if he resolve to make a thorough trial, he must knock at this door, because here a great part of mankind imagine they have found that which he was in quest of.
Ecc 2:12-16
Solomon having tried what satisfaction was to be had in learning first, and then in the pleasures of sense, and having also put both together, here compares them one with another and passes a judgment upon them.
Ecc 2:17-26
Business is a thing that wise men have pleasure in. They are in their element when they are in their business, and complain if they be out of business. They may sometimes be tired with their business, but they are not weary of it, nor willing to leave it off. Here therefore one would expect to have found the good that men should do, but Solomon tried this too; after a contemplative life and a voluptuous life, he betook himself to an active life, and found no more satisfaction in it than in the other; still it is all vanity and vexation of spirit, of which he gives an account in these verses, where observe,